Road-cart



Z. T. BUSH.

ROAD CART.

(No Model.)

Patented Peb. 2l, 1888.

g? mf L?,

Attorney WITNESS Qpd ZACHRIAH T. BUSH, OF STANTON, MICHIGAN.

ROAD- CART.

SPECIFICATON forming part of Letters Patent No. 378,354. dated February 2l, 1888.

Application filed October 2S, 1887. Serial No. 253,651. (No model.)

To all whom z't may concer-rz:

Beit known that I, ZAGHRMH T. BUSH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Stanton, county ot' Montcalm, State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Road-Carts; and I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specitication.

y invention relates to improvements in road-carts; and it consists of the combinations of devices and appliances, hereinafter speciiied, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

The objects ofmy invention are, iirst, to pro vide improved adjusting mechanism whereby the supporting-spring may be adj usted according to the amount of load carried by the cart; second, to provide an improved arrangement ofthe spring and hangers, such that the spring is left free at its middle, being supported at its ends, and the load being applied between the middle portion and the ends; third, to provide improved seat-bar hangers whereby the spring is permitted to swing backward or forward as the mechanism is adj usted to regulate the spring 'for lighter or heavier loads, thereby keeping the spring in a plane at right angles to the direction of the pressure exerted by the load; fourth, to provide improved seat-bars of such construction as to be out of the riders way in climbing` into and out ofthe cart, said seathars being bent down to form the frame of the box.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of a road-cart embodying my invention, with one Wheel removed. Fig. 2 is a vertical crosssection on line .fc fr, Fig. l. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail of the seat-bar hanger.

A represents the axle, and B the thills, of my improved road-cart; C, the seat-bars, and F the supporting-spring.

The seat-bars C are pivotally connected to the draftbar E, as shown at e, and are bent downwardly and then rearwardly, so as to form the frame for the box of the cart, and then upwardly to support the seat. Upon the under side of the seat-bars C, I provide hanger-brackets c', within which the spring F is movably engaged with the scat-bar hangcrsf. These scat-bar hangersfarc engaged upon the brackets c in any convenient manner, as by means of a staple, c. Hangers f are also provided with ar1til'rict.ion ,rollersf having bearings upon the upper side of the spring.

Upon the under side of the thills l, I provide brackets b, said brackets provided with a series of notches, rl d di, for the engagement of thesuspending loops or bails b. These loops are secured to the ends of the spring F in any suitable 1nanner-as, for instance, by means of a bolt, b2.

The operation of my device is as follows: When itis desired to increase the Weight of the load-as, for instance, carrying two passengers instead of one-the seat is raised, so as t0 relieve the weight upon the loops b', and said loops are adjusted forward and engaged in the notch di, thus elevating the seat-bars and seat, when the additional Weight will not depress the seat beyond the horizontal position. When it is only desired to carry a light load, the loops are released and then engaged in the notch ci, thus allowing the seat-bars and seat to occupy a position somewhat lower, so that when a light load is carried the spring will be depressed to a horizontal position. Thus it will be seen that the spring may be quickly adjusted to bear a heavy or a light load, and to support the seat in the same position When carrying tivo persons as when carrying one. The spring, being left free at its middle, is permitted to yield at this portion, thus increasing the elasticity of the spring. The adjustable connection ofthe seatbar hangers f with the brackets c permits the spring to be inclined forward or backward, according to the position occupied by the loops b', 'thus keeping the plane of the spring at right angles to the direction ofthe pressure of the load. This brings thestrain squarelyupon the spring in the proper direction and Without any twist upon the spring or the hangers. The seat-bars being bent down, as shown, to form the frame of the bottom of the cart, places said seatbars out of the Way, so that in getting into or out of the cart the rider has nothing to climb over, as in carts of ordinary construction. This is a very desirable feature, as a great deal orf annoyance is caused by the necessity oi' climbing over the seat-bars in entering or leaving the ordinary styles of road-carts. I would have it understood, however, that I do not desire to limit myself to the exact construction shown, as I might employ various modifications in the arrangement of the spring and the supporting loops or hails, and also in the construction and arrangement of the seat-bars and seat-bar hangers, without departing from the principle of my invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim 1sl. In a road-cart, a spring adjustably supported at its ends and free at its middle portion, and having bearings for the frame of the box between its ends-and its middle portion, substantially as described.

2. In a road-cart, a spring adjustably snspended at its ends from the thills and being` l'ree at its middle portion, and in connection therewith seatbars bent to forni the frame. of the box and having bearings between the ends and the middle portion of the spring, through which said spring is movable longitudinally, substantially as described.

3. In a road-cart, a spring adjustably suspended at its ends from the thills and left free atits middle portion, and having anti-friction bearings for the frame between its ends and middle, and in connection therewith means,

as set forth, for adj usling the 'spring for heavy or light loads, substantially as described.

4. In a road-cart, seat-bars bent to form the frame of the box and provided with hangers for engaging the spring, substantially as described.

5. In a road-cart, seatbars pivotally connected to the draft-bar and bent to form the frame of the box, said seat-bars provided with brackets and adjustable hangers to engage the spring, substantially as described.

6. In a road-cart, the spring adj ustabl y connected -at its ends to the thills and free at its center, and seat-bars pivotall y connected to the draft-bar, said seat-bars being bent to form the frame for the box and being provided with brackets and adjustable hangers to engage the spring, substantially as described.

7. In a road-cart, the spring adjustablysus` pended at its ends from the thills by means of loops or bails, and in connection therewith notched brackets, said loops or bails adapted to be adj ustably engaged upon the notched bracket, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

ZAC H RI AH T. B USH.

Vi tn esscs:

OscxR FENN, E. D. HAWLEY. 

